Back in January 1997 Pontiac stunned the US media when it showed the Rageous at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Into a world of boxy SUV's and 4x4's, the Rageous was a breath of fresh air. Tasked to create a bold, aggressive and powerful sports car concept without compromising functionality, the Pontiac designers delivered in style!

The Rageous was built on a 116.8in wheelbase (substantially longer than the current Firebird's 101in) but was only 194.1in long (the Firebird is 191in). At 55.5in high (only 4ft 7in high) it was a stunning sports coupe with a sting in its' tail - a split-fold rear hatch and folding rear seats giving a huge load area and the ability to haul a standard 4ft x 8ft sheet of plywood (this seems to be the standard size of measure for DIY-mad Americans!). Ground clearance was over six inches - pretty good for a "sports-coupe" - even given the 22-inch wheels (11-inch front, 12-inch rear) with P315/30R22 tires developed by Goodyear especially for the Rageous project. The Rageous was a true "Wide Track" design with a track of almost 63 inches front and rear.

The front of the Rageous was traditionally Pontiac with a dihedral ("V") shape. It had a Ram Air hood (this was just after the Ram Air Trans Am was brought to market) and round fog lamps hidden in dihedral recesses in the lower fascia. All external surfaces of the vehicle were ribbed, and this was the precursor to the current styling seen on the Grand Am GT. Ribs were present on the sides, front and rear fascia, spoiler and mirrors. All wheel arches were flared to give the impression of added muscle (and also to fit those foot-wide tires!). The vehicle had a high beltline and virtually the entire greenhouse area was flush-fitted glass.

Pontiac's designers came up with a clever idea, now used in many Pick-ups. Although barely visible, the Rageous actually has four side doors! The front two are unusual in that they are smaller than many existing sports coupes, being only 48 inches wide (many sports coupes have 57 inch or greater doors to allow access to the rear seats) and open to an angle of some 67 degrees (substantially wider than "normal" vehicles). With the front doors open, a handle is visible inside the door jamb below the "B" pillar and this opens the rear doors rearwards (like the old "suicide doors"). These doors open to 87 degrees, making it extremely easy to get in and out. In addition, the seats are only 10 inches above the ground (even with the 6 inch ground clearance) - compare this to many SUV / 4x4's where you need a step-ladder to get in!

The Rageous is a 4 seater, with the driver and each passenger cosseted in a full bucket seat with racing-style 4-point harnesses. The two front seats featured 6-way power adjustment including height. Rear seats could be adjusted for back angle. Each seat headrest was equipped with built-in speakers for the sound system. There were both front and side airbags for occupant protection.

The interior of the car was "shrink-wrapped" inside and featured a cylindrical design motif, evident in the center console the gauges and air outlets moulded into the instrument panel. The driver was surrounded by clusters of controls designed to deliver information quickly and easily. Gauges were round in both analog and digital formats within pod-like enclosures. As was popular at the time, the Rageous featured an advanced Head-Up Display allowing control of electrical and electronic systems such as the sound system, mobile 'phone, heating and air-conditioning, seats and lights, together with driver information such as speed, revs and engine conditions. This display was controlled via a "track-ball" mouse in the steering wheel. Included in the goodies was a Global Positioning Sensor (GPS) and music was provided via a CD pay-to-listen service through a communications link!

The incredible thing about the Rageous is that hidden under the rear spoiler was a rear hatch and drop-down tailgate! With the two rear seats folded, there was 49 cubic feet of space and the front passenger seat could also be folded to make room for longer loads. The rear cargo area featured a washable dirt-resistant rubberised coating to protect the interior. "U"-shaped tie-down hooks pulled out of the floor and sides to help secure loads.

The Rageous featured a large number of storage spaces. In total, there were seven map pockets in the doors and center console. There was a glove box plus two large storage areas in the center console, together with a lockable storage area under the driver's door armrest, together with four molded cupholders. In total, there were also 10 net pockets!

To power the Rageous, Pontiac designers picked the LT-1 V-8 with functional Ram Air, putting out some 315hp, backed up with a 6-speed manual transmission.

The Rageos was finished in a most unsubtle red color known as "Red Rush" developed specially for the vehicle.